Rotary engine



Nov. 29, 1955 C, H, VLACHOS 2,725,013

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Jan. l5, 1952 Gonsfan/hos H lilac/703 6 IN1/EN TOR.

United States Patent ROTARY ENGINE Constantinos H. Vlachos, Vancouver,Wash.

Application January 15, 1952, Serial No. 266,515

4 Claims. (Cl. 103-136) This invention relates to piston carriers,housings therefor and rotary engines.

One object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine which mayeffectively function as a motor, pump or compressor. Rotary movementapplied to the rotor performs the function of a pump or compressor, anduid under pressure when applied through inlet ports causes the engine toperform as a motor.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of uid pressuremeans for shifting related parts of the engine into working position andthereby making compensation for any wear which may be present among theparts and thus maintain a perfect uid seal between working parts.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a newcombination of pistons which enable the engine to be used as a motor,pump or compressor with no perceptible variation in efficiency.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an engine thatis nearly silent in its operation and which may be run in eitherdirection to perform the function required of it.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an engine whichmay be operated in any position with equal eiliciency.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure l is a side elevation of a rotary engine embodying my invention,l

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same, asat line 2 2 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through the same.

Inspection of the drawing will reveal that the exemplied form of myinvention has a cast housing 4 cornprising a body 5 and a base 6. Thebase is drilled and tapped to receive anchoring bolts 7 for mounting theengine for use.

An oblong socket 8 is formed in the body 5 from its front face 9 andextends longitudinally into the body terminating in a faced end wall 10.The side walls 11 of socket 8 are also polished or faced to present asmooth working surface for the cooperating parts. A bearing well 12 isformed coaxially of socket 8 and in end wall 10, and a bronze, or othertype, bushing 13 is pressed therein to form a bearing for the rotordescribed hereafter.

Radially extending, internally threaded and diametrically opposed ports14 are provided in the body 5 and cornmunicate with socket 8. Each portis spaced from its adjacent ports 90 degrees on centers, thus providingfour of said ports.

As indicated in Figure 3, when the greatest transverse dimension ofsocket 8 is horizontal, the ports 14 are 2,725,013 Patented Nov. 29,1955 ICC positioned 45 degrees above and below horizontal ones on eachside of a longitudinal vertical plane. Of course, socket 8 may bepositioned at any angle desired and the ports will then be provided inthe same position relative to the socket.

Piston carrier or rotor 15 is substantially circular in transverse crosssection, as seen in Figure 3, and when positioned centric of socket 8,defines crescent shaped chambers 16 between the rotor and housing 4.Ports 14 thus open into socket 8 adjacent the extreme ends of chambers16. It will be noted by the arrows of Figures 1 and 3 that the opposedends of chambers 16 have opposite ports 14. That is, one end has aninlet port while the opposed end of the same chamber has an outlet port,and the opposed chambers 16 yon their corresponding upper or lower endsalso have opposite ports.

Between the ports of the corresponding ends of opposed chambers 16, Ihave provided by-pass grooves 17 which communicate with socket 8throughout their length, and midway the length of said grooves, I haveprovided conduits 18 communicating with said grooves and extendinglongitudinally of the housing 4. Conduits 18 terminate at their rearends in a vertically extending conduit 19 which communicates midway itslength with the bearing Well 12.

About the mouth of socket 8, l have provided a recess 20 in face 9, anda matching boss 21 carried by cover plate 22 is fitted therein. A gasketor sealing ring 23 encircles the boss 21 and is clamped between face 9and cover plate 22 to seal the socket against leaking. The longitudinalmovement of boss 21 into socket 8 is limited by reason of shoulders 24defined by recess 20, thus providing a proper final longitudinaldimension for socket 8. A bushing 25 is pressed into cover plate 22coaxial with socket 8 and bearing well 12 and provides a bearing forshaft 26 of piston carrier or rotor 15. A packing gland and nut 27 areprovided to seal the shaft and cover plate and preclude fluid leakingtherebetween. Multiple stud bolts 28 pass through spaced openings incover plate 22 and thread into housing 4 to secure the plate thereon.

As seen in Figure 1, hoses 29 are adapted with fittings 31 to attach thehoses to ports 14 and permit uid passage therethrough.

Rotor or pistou carrier 15 is provided with radially disposedlongitudinally extending multiple slots about its periphery. Asindicated in Figure 3 the rotor has a hub 31 and spaced on centers every120 degrees about the periphery of the hub are outwardly divergentroller receiving slots 32 having tubular roller pistons 33 therein andpositioned about the hub 60 degrees from slots 32 are vane receivingslots 34 also occurring every 120 degrees about the hub from each other.Vane pistons 35 are carried by slots 34 and slidable therein. Positionedintermediate each piston receiving slot 32 and 34 I have providedcompression slots 36.

Centric of hub 31 and integral therewith, I have provided a stub shaft37 adapted to rotatably fit in bearing 13, and a central bore 38 forms aconduit through the shaft 37 into the hub 31. Radially extendingconduits 39 communicate with central conduit 38 and at their outer endscommunicate with the piston receiving slots 32 and 34 midway theirlengths.

The operation of the rotary engine as a motor is as follows:

Fluid under pressure (from any source not shovsm) is introduced into thehousing through ports 14 indicated by the arrows pointing inwardly. Aportion of the lluid passes through grooves 17 and conduits 18 and 19 tobearing well 12 where it ows into conduits 38-39 and forces pistons 33and 35 outwardly to contact walls 11 of socket 8. Since the volume ofuid entering is greater than that which willl pass through grooves 17,pressure is` exerted upon pistons 33 and 3S which are then positionedbeyond the respective inlet ports and in chambers 16, thus causing therotor to turn. The movement of the rotor willbe in the clockwisedirection as viewed in Figure 3'. However, the roller pistons 33 willnot be in the positions shown in Figure 3, but rather shifted clockwisein socket 8 and positioned to bear against the opposite side of theirrespective slots from that side shown. To reverse the direction of themotor, it is only necessary to reverse the direction of fluid iiow andthe motor will reverse.

When operating the engine as a pump, rotary motion is applied to therotor from a mechanical source. A portion of the fluid pressure createdby the pump lows through the described conduits 18-19-38 and 39 tocreate a pressure behind the pistons and cause them to extend to thesocket walls. The pistons create a reduced pressure in the intake portsand eliminate the necessity of priming the pump, and it is easily seenhow the pistons pump the uid through the chambers 16- and out of theoutlet ports 14.

It is theorized that the compression slots 36 provide greater area forcreatingy a reduced pressure in the intake ports thus increasing theability to pumpl and draw up its prime. It also provides a greater areawithin the housing for compression when the engine is so used. It isvnot definitely known how the compression sl'ots Work to enhance theability of the engine in its three functions, but working models haveproven that such is the case.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A piston carrier having vane slots with parallel side faces,compression slots and roller slots having outwardly divergent sidefaces, and said slots being alternately positioned about the peripheryof the piston carrier.

2'. The combination with a rotor having piston slots and compressionslots, selected ones of said slots having parallel side faces andcontaining spaced vanes, other of said slots having outwardly divergentside faces and containing rollers alternately positioned about theperiphery of said rotor with respect to said Vane slots, of a housinghaving an oblong socket containing the rotor and providing opposedchambers between the rotor and i the housing, and inlet and outlet portsin the housing communicating with said chambers.

3. A piston carrier having vane slots with parallel side faces, androller slots having outwardly divergent side faces, and said slots beingalternately positioned about the periphery of the piston carrier.

4. The combination with a rotor having piston slots, selective ones ofsaid slots having parallel side faces and containing spaced vanes, otherof said slots hav-ing outwardly divergent side faces and containingrollers alternately positioned about the periphery of said rotor withrespect to said vane slots, of a housing having an oblong socketcontaining the rotor and providing opposed chambers between the rotorand the housing, and inlet and outlet ports in the housing communicatingwith said chambers.

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